Stabilizing bog burl?

[Eriksen]

Last summer I found a big old burl in a dry swamp. I dried it in the oven and when I try to cut it into scales, it splits in layers sometimes. It looks like there is some dirt or fine soil between the layers.
If I first cut it in larger pieces and stabilize it in cactus juice, will the juice also act as a glue between the layers and prevent splitting when I cut it to smaller scales later?

 

[milkbaby]

Was it totally dry when you found it? Maybe it had checks and voids form in the interior when drying fast in the oven. It's usually better to air dry to constant weight before cutting into very small pieces like knife blocks and scales. Your burl could also have bark inclusions as well as forming voids as it dried, just the way it goes.

If the spaces inbetween won't hold the cactus juice in by capillary action, it won't help your problem. Cactus juice isn't for filling voids, it's liquid until heated in the oven to polymerize, so it'll just run out. If the spaces inbetween layers is tight enough to hold the cactus juice in by capillary action, then it possibly could work?

 

[Aidenag]

post pics so we can see what is going on and give better input.

 

[Eriksen]

post pics so we can see what is going on and give better input.

Here is a picture of a larger part of the burl and a smaller splitted part:
https://i.imgur.com/iXIqaxS.jpg

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

That looks too far gone for handle scales to me. You could use a good grade of laminating resin ( West System) to join them back together, bi=ut it won't ever be as good as a solid piece of wood.

I have stabilized about 100 pounds of bog oak, but it was all solid and stable.

Maybe send the photos to Masecraft for their opinion and estimate.

 

[Eriksen]

That looks too far gone for handle scales to me. You could use a good grade of laminating resin ( West System) to join them back together, bi=ut it won't ever be as good as a solid piece of wood.

I have stabilized about 100 pounds of bog oak, but it was all solid and stable.

Maybe send the photos to Masecraft for their opinion and estimate.

Yes, I thought I maybe could add som fine dark saw dust to the epoxy and glue them together, but can I then stabilize it, or will the heat damage the epoxy?

 

[FredyCro]

How big is the piece? What if you cut horizontally first between or near the cracks and then cut vertically some scale sized blocks? Then stabilize one block and test how hard it is?

 

[Eriksen]

How big is the piece? What if you cut horizontally first between or near the cracks and then cut vertically some scale sized blocks? Then stabilize one block and test how hard it is?

The wood is very hard, so I think I only will join them together with epoxy and maybe stabilize the finished knife handle with penetrating oil instead of resin which require heat.